ROTIMI OJOMOYELA looks at the implication of the recent defection of former Ekiti state governor, Asiwaju Segun Oni, on next month’s governorship poll in the state
The political environment in Ekiti state recently went rumbling with the defection of former governor of the state, Asiwaju Segun Oni to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The former governor who was sacked in 2010 by the Court of Appeal in an election matter, was the immediate past national vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (South West).
The exit of the trained chemical engineer may have come as a surprise to many, but some analysts and watchers of political developments in the state, saw it coming, especially as a strong ally of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The former president is in battle of wits with President Goodluck Jonathan over the alleged imposition of the embattled multi-millionaire businessman, Chief Buruji Kashamu as leader of the party in the South-West.
Obasanjo at various fora and in his controversial secret letter to President Jonathan, which was though smuggled to the public, had expressed displeasure at the president’s action and demanded immediate removal of Kashamu. Rather than heeding his call, Jonathan, to the consternation of the former president turned a deaf ear.
With Buruji firmly in charge, a lot of Obasanjo’s godsons who had hitherto been wielding strong political influence were thrown asunder, and suddenly found themselves in wilderness seriously searching for compass to navigate their way back into political relevance.
Aside from this, both Oni and Ayo Fayose, PDP’s governorship candidate in next month’s election, had been political foes since the re-run governorship election of April 25/May 5, 2009, where the latter, as a result of irreconcilable differences with the former, elected to coalesce with the incumbent governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) to rout the Oni-led PDP administration from office. Erstwhile PDP national chairman, Prince Vicent Ogbulafor tried in vain to reconcile the warring duos in the days leading to the re-run governorship election.
The futility of this effort later became the albatross of Oni’s group, as Fayose though did not defect from PDP, formed alliance which Oni ultimately won. The election was to be upturned at the appellate court in 2010 and a rerun ordered.
And immediately Oni was ousted from power, Fayose returned to rebuild the party and made several overtures to the aggrieved members . However, Oni and his group’s last ditch effort to launch a comeback in March 18, 2012 through the party’s congress which produced the Makanjuola
Ogundipe-led state executive council hit the rock as Fayose’s men carried the day. All the candidates sponsored by Oni for the state executive council election were defeated by Fayose’s men. Effort by Oni to get his defeated men into the executives through harmonization also failed.
A couple of months after this disastrous outing, he was made the party’s national vice chairman in the south west, a tenure cut short by yet another litigation which forced the Ifaki-Ekiti born politician to withdraw into his shell. All through this period, his foot soldiers, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and Chief Dare Bejide were battling Fayose for the gubernatorial ticket of the party, but the former governor stayed aloof, not even the slightest support for his men.
Oni’s political travails started with his support and endorsement of the controversial letter from Obasanjo to President Jonathan on some alleged anomalies in the latter’s administration. Following this endorsement, the ex-governor lost relevance and patronage from the Federal Government. To this group, Oni has reached the end of the road in PDP, thus, it was a matter of time before he actuated his defection from the party.
From the above, it is clear that history is about repeating itself. Fayose coalesced with Fayemi in 2009 to trounce Oni in the re-run governorship election, and today Oni will pay Fayose back in his own coin.
But the Deputy Director General, Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, described Oni’s defection as a good riddance to bad rubbish.
“He has remained an albatross to the PDP for so long. He brought a lot of misfortune to our party, part of which we are about to reclaim in the next election,” he said.
“We have no regret over Segun Oni’s departure. He is of ACN, just returning to where he was before he was imposed as PDP candidate in 2007.
“The PDP cannot continue to live with a clueless and colourless character who believes he should be spoon-fed after a disastrous outing as governor. We believe that the inability of the PDP to accede to his request of being a minister or senator was responsible for his latest action.
“If he wants to come back to PDP, he will not be granted a waiver. Oni felt uncomfortable to remain in Ekiti PDP because of the rising profile of Ayo Fayose.
“ If Oni is spiritual enough, he would know that it is the table that is turning back to its original take-off point of 2006. We wish to remind him that the likes of Dayo Adeyeye, Bisi Kolawole, Dipo Anisulowo, Ojuawo, Aborisade, Tunde Adeniran, Biodun Olujimi, Ayo Arise who he can call his foot soldiers are with us in Ekiti PDP. We wish him well in the bossom of Fayemi who stole his mandate”, Owoseni said.
For the APC, it was celebration galore. According to the party, “the defection of former Ekiti State Governor, Asiwaju Segun Oni, and his followers to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is an indication that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been decimated beyond repair in Ekiti State.
“Besides the former governor and his followers, other well meaning, development-savvy and progress-oriented members of the party have deserted it to pitch their tents with the APC-led government which has in the last three and a half years turned around the fortunes of Ekiti people for good.”
Spokesman of Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Dimeji Daniels, added that Ido-Osi local government where Oni hails from had been the only stronghold of the PDP in Ekiti since 1999 when Nigeria returned to civil rule.
“With the defection of Oni, the PDP chairman in the council area, Mr. Adebola Aderemi; PDP leader, Chief Femi Ajibola; House of Assembly member, Bunmi Oriniowo; and other strong members of the party in the council area, Ido/Osi is now a stronghold of the APC, leaving the PDP lifeless in the only local government it had ever held sway in Ekiti State,” he added.
While saying the recent gale of defections has compounded the woes of the PDP in the June 21 poll, Daniels commended Oni for his decision, especially at a critical juncture when many driven by anti-people, ill-driven ambition conspire hand-in-glove with external forces against the collective well-being of the people.
Without doubt, Oni’s defection to APC will definitely have its ripple effects on his former party, giving his influence as a former governor.
As a major pillar in PDP, Oni is considered a big fish. Therefore, his exit from the PDP, is an incalculable political loss to that party, while his new abode, the APC has made a monumental political gains.
Now the die is cast and it remains to be seen t how Oni hopes to translate this into viable votes to aid Fayemi’s victory in the June 21 poll. One thing that is however clear is that Oni is ready to pay Fayose back in his own coin.